The present disclosure relates generally to bridges and bridge assemblies for stringed instruments, including but not limited to, electric and acoustic guitars, basses, violin, cellos, banjos, etc.
More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an improved bridge assembly for stringed instruments. Bridges for stringed instruments lift the instrument's strings so there is an appropriate distance between the strings and the fretboard or fingerboard on a neck of the instrument. The string can be anchored to the body of the instrument, cross over a contact point on the bridge and be suspended over the fretboard between the contact point on the bridge and a nut positioned at the top of a neck of the instrument.
These bridges are generally adjustable in height such that the distance between the string and fingerboard or fret board can be adjusted to accommodate a particular instrument or the preferences of a particular player or user of the instrument. It is from this distance that the player depresses the string to contact the fingerboard to sound a particular note. In combination with the gauge, or diameter of the guitar strings, this distance is generally referred to as the “action” of the stringed instrument. Such bridges typically also provide adjustment for the length of the string. This is referred to as “setting the intonation” of the string. This adjustment allows the player to play notes “in tune” along the length of the string from the nut to the end of the fingerboard. To adjust the intonation of a string, the open string is plucked and tuned to a proper pitch. The player then depresses the string at an appropriate fret generally in the middle of the fingerboard or fret board, for instance at the 12th fret of a guitar. The player can then adjust the pitch of the depressed string by moving the bridge toward or away from the neck of the guitar as needed.
Additionally, in many conventional stringed instruments, holes are drilled through the body of the instrument, and the strings extend through the body and are connected to ferrules positioned on the backside of the instrument. In other embodiments, the string can be anchored to an additional device known as a tailpiece or stop bar. Either configuration can substantially increase manufacturing time for the instruments, which is undesirable.
Conventionally, the height of the strings has been adjusted using two general approaches. The first approach features a metal bridge assembly resting on two threaded poles or posts, one at each end. These poles or posts are mounted into a threaded base in the instrument's top. The poles or posts can be raised or lowered by turning their threaded shafts, thus raising or lowering them in much the same manner as screwing a screw into or out of a piece of wood. These bridges, however, do not have separate height adjustment for individual strings on the instrument.
The second approach uses a metal plate securely mounted to the instrument body and individual bridge pieces attached to the metal plate upon which the strings rest. These bridge pieces are secured to the plate with multiple adjustment screws, sometimes called feet. The height of the bridge pieces, and subsequently the height of the strings associated therewith, can be adjusted by turning each of the feet of the bridge pieces. As such, adjustment of the height of each string requires adjustment multiple screws or feet, which is cumbersome and undesirable.
Furthermore, different adjustments of the bridge and/or tailpiece components can require different tools. For example, a tool for securing the bridge to the posts of the guitar would not be useable to adjust the height of a particular saddle or bridge piece. Often times the screws used for different aspects of the bridge are different sizes or shapes. Thus, a guitarist would need to carry a plurality of tools in order to be able to make all of the different adjustments to the bridge and/or stopbar (or tailpiece).
Each approach uses a similar method for setting the length of the string, also known as the “intonation” of the string. This is done by moving individual bridge piece(s) forwards or backwards by turning a screw or bolt which is attached to the individual bridge piece. The screw or bolt is anchored to the bridge plate and is often held in place in between the bridge piece and bridge plate in tension provided by a spring installed around the intonation adjustment screw or bolt.
As such, adjustment of the string height and intonation of strings on conventional stringed instruments can be cumbersome and can require the adjustment of numerous pieces or screws, and can additionally require multiple tools, which is undesirable.
What is needed then are improvements to bridges and bridge assemblies for stringed instruments.